Federal parties unite in call for anti-poverty strategy.

OTTAWA – Conservative MPs have given a qualified nod of approval to a
groundbreaking all-party report that calls on the Harper government to pursue
an aggressive strategy to reduce poverty.

The report, introduced Wednesday in the House of Commons, calls for pumping
more money into affordable housing across the country, as well as increased
supports to parents, seniors, people with disabilities and jobless and older
workers.

The Commons committee on human resources released the report after almost
three years of cross-country hearings designed to develop a recipe for reducing
poverty.

Liberal and New Democrat MPs on the committee cheered the support given to
the final report by their Conservative colleagues. They said qualified Tory
backing is a good beginning if progress is to be made toward eradicating
poverty. The Bloc Quebecois also signed on.

The committee said implementation of the recommendations will contribute to
the development of an effective federal poverty reduction plan that will reduce
poverty rates and allow more people to work in good jobs.

“The committee agrees that the time has come to seriously address the risk
factors associated with poverty, and that the federal government can work in co-
operation with other levels of government, aboriginal stakeholders and
community organizations to ensure that all Canadians live in dignity and can
fully and actively participate in Canada’s social and economic life,” the
report said.

Among other things, the committee said having a roof over one’s head is a
crucial part of the solution.

“Members of the committee think that having a place to call home is a
fundamental need and a basic human right,” the report said.

“This is a breakthrough,” said New Democrat MP Tony Martin, referring to
what he says amounts to all-party support for long-term strategies to tackle
housing shortages and homelessness.

“The report reflects what people said to us, and the Conservatives could
not ignore that,” said Liberal MP Raymonde Falco, vice-chairwoman of the
committee.

Falco acknowledged some of the recommendations sound like “pie in the sky,
” but said the committee had to go all out.

“We had to say what we heard,” the Quebec MP said.

Although Conservative MPs signed on to the main report, they issued a
separate one that praised the government’s efforts to reduce poverty, citing
such elements as funding for training and new initiatives to help parents.

Tories criticized the report for not including costs in some areas or for
lowballing costs in others, as well as not focusing enough on jobs.

Still, the all-party declaration favouring a national poverty reduction
strategy was seen as a breakthrough worth applauding by a major anti-poverty
group.

“Poverty is about more than money,” Citizens for Public Justice said in a
statement, praising the committee for acknowledging the “complexity” of
building a national strategy.